SarcopeniaSTRIDENCT07726498
STRIDE: Strength of The Calf Muscles and Their Role In Declining Effectiveness of Movement With Aging
An observational study of Sarcopenia and Aging, run by University of Leicester at 1 site in United Kingdom.
Trial summary
The calf muscles (plantarflexors) are the most important muscles for walking, running and daily activities. Weakness of these muscles through aging and disease significantly impact a person's ability to walk and complete daily activities. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Sarcopenia, Aging, Muscle Weakness or Atrophy
- How many people
- 200 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited Kingdom
- Study dates
- Aug 2026to 29 Feb 2028
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Study population: The study population is individuals over the age of 18 years, who may or may not have sarcopenia. Individuals will be determined as either sarcopenic or non-sarcopenic by completing the outcome measures (SARC-F questionnaire, Grip strength, BIA and SPPB) and using the cut-off values as recommended by the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People 2 consensus.
Who may be able to join
- Participant is able and willing to provide informed consent to participate in the study
- Aged 18 years or over
- Ambulatory status: able to walk independently with or without aids
- Able to attend clinic
Who cannot join
- Participant is unwilling or unable to give informed consent.
- Palliative/ end of life
- Moderate to severe communication difficulties/ cognitive function
- Immobile
- Lower limb surgery within the last 6 months
- Recent lower limb fracture
Show all 10Show fewer
- Unstable cardiopulmonary conditions
- Severe impairments of vision or vestibular system
- Lower limb corticosteroid injection within the last 6 months
- No restriction on language
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United Kingdom1 site
University of Leicester
Leicester, LE1 7RH
Matt Harrison, BSc MA, mch58@leicester.ac.uk
Seth O'Neill, PhD
About this study
The calf muscles (plantarflexors) are the most important muscles for walking, running and daily activities. Weakness of these muscles through aging and disease significantly impact a person's ability to walk and complete daily activities. By assessing calf strength, it is possible to identify people at risk of falls, and a condition called sarcopenia (which means loss of muscle mass, strength and function). Unfortunately, most of the studies that have examined this have used specialist equipment unavailable to hospital staff. Our study aims to use commercially available equipment to explore the relationship between plantarflexor muscle strength and physical performance in adults living with or without sarcopenia, including those at risk of it. The study will determine if stronger/weaker calf muscles associated with sarcopenia influence the ability to walk and do things more easily. We will complete strength tests of the calf, thigh and hand, assess walking using a special camera system, use an ultrasound scan to look at the Achilles tendon, use a scan to look at how stiff your calf muscles are, assess your body composition, complete a physical performance test and some questionnaires. Each participant will complete the measures during one clinic visit
Read the detailed description
This study aims to assess the relationship between plantarflexor (calf muscles) muscle strength and physical performance between people with and without sarcopenia. The measurements include Isometric plantarflexor strength testing, Theia markerless motion capture system, Ultrasound Tissue Characterization Imaging, Elastography, Grip strength, Isometric Knee Extension Strength Test, Bioelectrical Impedance analysis, Short Physical Performance Battery. In addition the SARC-F, Falls Efficacy Scale- International (FES-I), EuroQol- 5 Dimension (EQ-5D-5L) and Short-Form-12-health-survey (SF-12) questionnaires will be completed.
- Conditions
- Sarcopenia, Aging, Muscle Weakness or Atrophy, Frailty
- Being tested
- No intervention (observational study)
- Keywords
- Plantarflexors, Sarcopenia, Aging, Weakness, Multi-morbidity
- Medical subject headings
- Sarcopenia, Muscle Weakness, Atrophy, Frailty, Asthenia
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
No intervention (observational study)Other
No intervention (observational study)
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Sarcopenic | Not described Receives: Other: No intervention (observational study) | |
| Non Sarcopenic | Not described Receives: Other: No intervention (observational study) |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Isometric plantarflexor strength testing
Isometric plantarflexor strength will be tested using the Fysiometer C-station
Measured: Baseline
Secondary outcomes (11)
Theia markerless motion capture system
Gait will be assessed using Theia 3D (Theia Markerless Inc., Kingston, ON, Canada). Theia 3D is a commercial markerless motion capture system which uses multiple cameras to capture video footage of physical performance, tracking 124 keypoints producing 3D models. Calibration it completed prior to recording. Data is processed in Theia 3D and analysed in Visual 3D software. Measures such as gait speed and pattern, forces, joint angles, stride length and cadence will be collected.
Measured: Baseline
Ultrasound Tissue Characterization Imaging
Imaging of the Achilles Tendon to identify structural changes to the Achilles tendon.
Measured: Baseline
Elastography
Imaging of the Plantarflexors and Achilles Tendon to understand muscle stiffness and tissue mechanical properties
Measured: Baseline
Grip strength
A Jamar hand dynamometer will be used, measuring grip strength in kilograms
Measured: Baseline
Isometric Knee Extension Strength Test
Isometric Knee Extension strength will be measured using Kinvent K-Pull incline dynamometer
Measured: Baseline
Bioelectrical Impedance analysis
Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) will be used to estimate body composition and Skeletal Muscle Mass.
Measured: Baseline
Short Physical Performance Battery
It consists of three key components: balance tests, gait speed and chair stand test. Participants who are unable to complete a component score 0, whereas a score of 4 indicates highest performance of that component. Each component is scored out of 4 points with a maximum combined score of 12 points.
Measured: Baseline
SARC-F questionnaire
The questionnaire contains 5 questions/components, covering strength, assistance with walking, rise from a chair, climb stairs and falls. Each component is scored ranging from 0 to 2 points, with a minimum combined score of 0 and a maximal combined score of 10. A score equal to or greater than 4 is predictive of sarcopenia and poor outcomes.
Measured: Baseline
Falls Efficacy Scale- International (FES-I)
The questionnaire contains sixteen questions/items. Each question/item is scored on a four-point Likert scale (1- not at all concerned; 2- somewhat concerned; 3- fairly concerned; 4- very concerned). The total score ranges from 16-64.
Measured: Baseline
EuroQol- 5 Dimension (EQ-5D-5L)
It consists of five dimensions (mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, anxiety/depression) and a visual analogue scale where individuals rate their overall health on a scale of 0-100.
Measured: Baseline
Short-Form-12-health-survey (SF-12)
It measures eight domains, covering physical functioning, role physical, bodily pain, general health perception, energy/vitality, social functioning, role emotional and mental health. Two summary scores are reported (Physical Component Summary and Mental Component Summary).
Measured: Baseline
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted24 Jul 2026
- Study startAug 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion29 Feb 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion29 Feb 2028 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for SarcopeniaStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Cross-sectional
- Enrolment
- 200 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Leicester
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- University Hospitals, Leicester
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07726498
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 1117
- Other IDs
- 367102
- Acronym
- STRIDE
- Status last verified
- Jul 2026
- First submitted
- 17 Jul 2026
- Last updated
- 24 Jul 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 24 Jul 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- STRIDE: Strength of The Calf Muscles and Their Role In Declining Effectiveness of Movement With Aging
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07726498
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- STRIDE / 1117
- Conditions
- Sarcopenia, Aging, Muscle Weakness or Atrophy, Frailty
- Keywords
- Plantarflexors, Sarcopenia, Aging, Weakness, Multi-morbidity
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 200 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of LeicesterUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- University Hospitals, Leicester
- Study start
- Aug 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 29 Feb 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 29 Feb 2028 (estimated)
- First posted
- 24 Jul 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The calf muscles (plantarflexors) are the most important muscles for walking, running and daily activities. Weakness of these muscles through aging and disease significantly impact a person's ability to walk and complete daily activities. By assessing calf strength, it is possible to identify people at risk of falls, and a condition called sarcopenia (which means loss of muscle mass, strength and function). Unfortunately, most of the studies that have examined this have used specialist equipment unavailable to hospital staff. Our study aims to use commercially available equipment to explore the relationship between plantarflexor muscle strength and physical performance in adults living with or without sarcopenia, including those at risk of it. The study will determine if stronger/weaker calf muscles associated with sarcopenia influence the ability to walk and do things more easily. We will complete strength tests of the calf, thigh and hand, assess walking using a special camera system, use an ultrasound scan to look at the Achilles tendon, use a scan to look at how stiff your calf muscles are, assess your body composition, complete a physical performance test and some questionnaires. Each participant will complete the measures during one clinic visit
Detailed description
This study aims to assess the relationship between plantarflexor (calf muscles) muscle strength and physical performance between people with and without sarcopenia. The measurements include Isometric plantarflexor strength testing, Theia markerless motion capture system, Ultrasound Tissue Characterization Imaging, Elastography, Grip strength, Isometric Knee Extension Strength Test, Bioelectrical Impedance analysis, Short Physical Performance Battery. In addition the SARC-F, Falls Efficacy Scale- International (FES-I), EuroQol- 5 Dimension (EQ-5D-5L) and Short-Form-12-health-survey (SF-12) questionnaires will be completed.
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Cross-sectional
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Sarcopenic | – | Other: No intervention (observational study) |
| Non Sarcopenic | – | Other: No intervention (observational study) |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- The study population is individuals over the age of 18 years, who may or may not have sarcopenia. Individuals will be determined as either sarcopenic or non-sarcopenic by completing the outcome measures (SARC-F questionnaire, Grip strength, BIA and SPPB) and using the cut-off values as recommended by the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People 2 consensus.
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Participant is able and willing to provide informed consent to participate in the study
- Aged 18 years or over
- Ambulatory status: able to walk independently with or without aids
- Able to attend clinic
Key exclusion criteria (10 listed)
- Participant is unwilling or unable to give informed consent.
- Palliative/ end of life
- Moderate to severe communication difficulties/ cognitive function
- Immobile
- Lower limb surgery within the last 6 months
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| No intervention (observational study)No intervention (observational study) | Other | Non Sarcopenic, Sarcopenic |
Primary outcome
Isometric plantarflexor strength testing
Time frame: Baseline
Isometric plantarflexor strength will be tested using the Fysiometer C-station
11 secondary outcomes
Theia markerless motion capture system
Time frame: Baseline
Ultrasound Tissue Characterization Imaging
Time frame: Baseline
Elastography
Time frame: Baseline
Grip strength
Time frame: Baseline
Isometric Knee Extension Strength Test
Time frame: Baseline
Bioelectrical Impedance analysis
Time frame: Baseline
Short Physical Performance Battery
Time frame: Baseline
SARC-F questionnaire
Time frame: Baseline
Falls Efficacy Scale- International (FES-I)
Time frame: Baseline
EuroQol- 5 Dimension (EQ-5D-5L)
Time frame: Baseline
Short-Form-12-health-survey (SF-12)
Time frame: Baseline
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 24 Jul 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Sarcopenia and Aging, run by University of Leicester at 1 site in United Kingdom.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 10 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 24 Jul 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United Kingdom. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Each site lists its own contact: choose the nearest one under Trial locations. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Isometric plantarflexor strength testing (time frame: Baseline). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 24 Jul 2026.